The Buffalo Sabres will enter the 2024-2025 season without bumper forward Jeff Skinner and will have a new power play structure under new guidance from head coach Lindy Ruff and assistant Seth Apart. The shakeup will be welcomed as the Sabres finished 29th overall in power play percentage last season. Buffalo hopes that the new approach, combined with new personnel, will help them climb back into the top 10 after finishing in 2022-2023.
Buffalo's top three on the power-play unit from last season — Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tucci — are sure to continue in their roles. Thompson is the biggest scoring threat from the left wing. Dahlin will continue as the team's quarterback from the point. Tucci will likely remain a presence in front of the Sabres' net and a screener with occasional goal-line runs.
JJ Peterka took over on the right side by the end of the season and is the front-runner to fill the role in 2024-2025. He is an offensive threat from the left wing for Buffalo, ideal traits to play on the right half wall. Peterka is slated for the first unit due to the lack of a bigger threat to replace him.
Bumper for the Sabres on the power play
Additionally, the bumper position is open for Jeff Skinner, who played the position for six seasons. Skinner was a buyout victim in late June, leaving the Sabres to search for someone to fill the position. The Sabres have yet to acquire a true top-six forward with their acquisition funds, so they will likely have to rely on an internal solution.
The top three contenders for the bumper position next season are:
Buffalo Sabres left winger Zach Benson (9) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
3. Zach Benson
Zach Benson had an outstanding rookie season for an 18-year-old. He showed defensive maturity beyond his years and was a nightly contributor for the Sabres when he was producing offensively.
Benson played a small role on the power play, but was primarily called upon to play on the second unit. The Sabres played their top unit about 65% of their power play time, leaving about 42 seconds per power play for other players like Benson to make an impact.
Scoring points in such a short amount of time is tough, especially when much of that time is spent getting the puck into the offensive zone and setting up. The second unit as a whole struggled as a team last season, as evidenced by the fact that its quarterback, Owen Power, ranked 23rd out of 27 Sabres players who played with a numbers advantage.
Benson has some qualities that suggest he could make a breakthrough offensively in his sophomore season. His short, stocky frame will allow him to hide in the high slot without getting swept up, and his work ethic will be a great asset in retrieving the puck.
He also has the offensive awareness and puck skills to complement the talent around him, but doesn't demand the puck on his stick, and it's this mentality that makes the bumper role a good fit for Benson regardless of what unit he ends up playing on.
RELATED: Can Zach Benson make a leap in his second season with the Sabres?
Buffalo Sabres' Jack Quinn plays during an NHL hockey game in Philadelphia, Friday, March 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
2. Jack Quinn
Jack Quinn was another victim of poor synergy with Buffalo's second power play unit last season, appearing in just 27 games and averaging 1.8 power play minutes per game. That's roughly 40 seconds of ice time per power play, and it takes quick work to produce that.
Quinn still managed three points, topping his previous season total of six. Outside of Peterka, Thompson and Tucci, he's Buffalo's biggest offensive threat. A healthy season could see him jump to even-strength production levels and potentially even a top-flight power play.
Quinn's ability as a bumper is best showcased by his performance under coach Appel in AHL Rochester, where he scored two goals in 15 games in his first season and posted an impressive 10 goals in 45 regular season games in his second year with the Amerks.
Quinn has primarily played on the wing in Rochester, helping with rotations and fluidity on the power play, and has shown excellent shooting ability in his first few NHL seasons, displaying a quick release well suited to the bumper position.
But there are downsides: The puck is mostly on the sticks of Darling and Thompson, and the play mostly comes from over the top or from the left, which makes it hard for a right-hander like Quinn to create chances for one-timers or quick wrist shots.
Still, talent usually wins, and Quinn is the best talent the Sabres currently have available to add to their power play.
More on the Sabres power play: How Seth Appeal can help the Sabres power play
Buffalo Sabres centre Dylan Cozens (24) lines up for a faceoff during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023, in Buffalo, New York. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
1. Dylan Cozens
Dylan Cozens initially took over Peterka's role as the top power-play right wing, and he was a natural playmaker and shooter who contributed greatly in that role, but the Sabres needed something better, and switching Peterka from his preferred right-shooting side to the left-shooting side was the obvious choice.
Cozens will likely be the first to challenge for the vacant bumper position. He has the most fundamental metrics and power-play experience of any of the Buffalo candidates. He scored 10 points with a man advantage last season and 18 the year before. His scoring rate was rated as better than any of the Sabres forwards who are due to return from last season and aren't already entrenched in the first unit.
His potential is on the same level as Quinn and Benson, but his four seasons in Buffalo may have dulled his shine. But just because there's a new player doesn't mean he's the better option right now. The Sabres would be wise to give Cozens his first audition. He's the best candidate for a new role on Buffalo's new top power play unit.
